Jennifer Goldberg

The House is set to vote today on the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the GOP bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). If enacted, 24 million Americans would lose their health coverage. Here are four ways the AHCA, with the recent amendments, is an attack on older adults:

1. The AHCA Guts Medicaid: The AHCA would drastically change Medicaid and harm older adults by cutting over $800 billion in federal funding, eliminating Medicaid expansion for adults ages 55 – 64, and weakening beneficiary protections. Under the AHCA, older adults and people with disabilities who rely on Medicaid would have fewer benefits and services, reduced access to home and community-based services, and receive less help paying for Medicare premiums or cost-sharing. States would be forced to make other cuts to Medicaid and other safety net programs as they will not have adequate funding to meet the needs of their aging populations. Read More

The plan to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that Congressional leaders released last week contains drastic changes to Medicaid funding that would raise costs and ration care for both older adults and people with disabilities, throwing the lives of families into chaos. Read More

Every day, whether seniors need to see a doctor, receive care in their home, or pay for prescription drugs, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are lifelines for older adults. However, the entire health care system upon which older adults rely is at risk in the new Congress. Changes to the ACA will dramatically alter the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and jeopardize the care seniors receive each day. Read More

Today, June 15, is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Financial exploitation is one of the most common forms of elder abuse, with studies showing that 1 in 20 older adults are currently experiencing financial exploitation. Financially exploited older adults may have significant problems getting needed health care and long-term services and supports through Medicaid. Read More

At the third annual Center for Medicare Advocacy (CMA) Voices of Medicare Summit earlier this month, I was particularly struck by how many presenters focused on the key role of Medicare for low-income older Americans. In fact, CMS Deputy Administrator and Medicare Director Sean Cavanaugh started off the day by emphasizing CMS’s commitment to make Medicare work for all beneficiaries, including those who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

I shouldn’t have been surprised. After all, half of all people on Medicare live on $24,000 or less a year, with 25% living on less than $14,000 a year. Read More

Elder abuse is broader than violence or neglect. Victims of elder abuse also suffer from financial exploitation, like a former legal services client, Mrs. Anderson (name changed to protect her identity). Mrs. Anderson is an elderly nursing home resident with dementia in Maryland. While Mrs. Anderson received nursing home care, her son misused her power of attorney to sell her house without her consent or knowledge. After the reverse mortgage company collected its payment, her the son pocketed the remaining $77,000 and used it to buy drugs. Because of this alleged “gift” to her son, Mrs. Anderson lost her Medicaid eligibility. Without help from civil legal aid, Mrs. Anderson would have been discharged from the nursing home with nowhere else to go. Read More

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JUSTICE IN AGING IS

the opportunity to live with dignity, regardless of financial circumstances—free from the worry, harm, and injustice caused by lack of health care, food, or a safe place to sleep. By using the power of law to strengthen the social safety net, and remove the barriers low-income seniors face in trying to access the services they need, we work to ensure the future we all envision for our loved ones and ourselves.